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Admissions Made Easy for International Students: 2018/2019 Academic Year

On November 15, international student admissions for undergraduate and Master’s programmes opened. This year, prospective students can apply to two programmes simultaneously. They’ll be able to track the application process online in their personal profile on the HSE website where they will receive notifications on the stages of their application’s review and decisions by the admissions committee.

Deadlines and tuition fee waivers

Applications for undergraduate programmes can be submitted until August 10, 2018, and for Master’s programmes until July 15, 2018. However, if you require a Russian visa, it is better to apply as early as possible since it might take up to two or in some cases three months to receive a visa. All applications submitted by February 28 will be considered for Russian government scholarships that are awarded on a merit basis. Applications submitted after March 1 will participate in the competition for fee-paying slots only.

How to apply

To apply for admission, please set up a personal profile for prospective undergraduate or Master’s students. You will be sent a login and password within 24 hours after registration (except for weekends and national holidays). In the personal profile, choose the language of instruction (Russian or English), and choose two programmes from the list of programmes at all four campuses. Indicate the priority of the programmes.

How to enter undergraduate programmes

The most popular way to enter HSE undergraduate programmes for international Russian-speaking students has been participation in HSE Olympiads for school students. Winners and runners up of the Olympiads can receive priority enrolment with either admission to tuition-free spots or a discount on tuition. The full list of benefits for Olympiad winners will be available after December 15.

Another way is to apply as part of a special competition for foreign citizens. To pursue this option, students pass on-site or online tests in two subjects. When students submit their application online, they can choose the date and time for online testing. Online testing will be carried out from December through May. Make sure your computer meets the technical requirements as outlined here. On-site exams will be offered from May through August in Moscow and at other campuses. Based on the results of the examination, applicants will be recommended for enrolment in state-funded or fee-paying places with or without a discount.

International students can also apply to HSE alongside Russian citizens as part of the general admissions. To do so, they must either pass the Unified State Examination or internal exams at HSE in the relevant subjects.

How to enter Master’s programmes

Applicants to Master’s programme upload portfolios online based on the requirements of the programmes they are interested in. Those applying for two programmes should submit two motivation letters, one for each programme. The completed applications are reviewed by the programmes, which make a decision within two weeks. (Note: applications won’t be considered during the holiday period of December 25 through January 8). Applicants may be recommended for a state-funded slot (if the application is made before February 28), or for a fee-paying slot, with or without a discount.

In addition, winners of the HSE Olympiad for university students and graduates which will take place in March, and the Open Doors competition can receive discounts or free tuition at HSE. In other words, a prospective student may be intially recommended for a fee-paying slot, but after the Olympiad they may receive a discount or a free tuition offer.

If necessary, the programme may invite prospective students for an interview, which is usually held online, for example over Skype. Notifications on interview invitations will appear in the personal profile and sent to the email address that was submitted during the registration. It should be noted that if the applicant ignores the invitation twice, their application will be denied.

Preparatory programmes

International students who want to apply to HSE’s Russian-taught programmes but don’t have sufficient proficiency in Russian, or who need training in the area of the programme’s studies, can take various courses offered by the preparatory programme. Starting in 2018, the programme will offer courses lasting from 6 to 18 months. Students will be able to choose from advanced Russian courses or subject studies combined with Russian language courses.